Sheet-delivery apparatus for pri nt



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. T. HAWKINS.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS POR PRINTING PRESSES.

Patented July 28, 1885.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. T. HAWKINS.

SHEET DELIVERY APPARATUS POR PRINTING PRESSES. No. 323,331.

Patented July Z8, 1885.

llinirnn drains n'rnnr @trice JOHN T. HAVKDTS, OF TAUNTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

SHEET-DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR PRlNTlNG-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,331, dated July 28,1885.

Application tiled February 11, 1885. (Xo modd.)

To all whom. t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN T. Hiwnrns, of Taunton, in the county ofBristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sheet-Delivery Apparatus for Printing-Presses, whichinvention or improvements are fully set forth and illustrated in thefollowing specification and accompanying drawings.

The object ot' this invention is to deliver the 4sheets from the top andfront of the cylinder of a cylinder printing-press directly7 to adelivery-board in an even pile, with the last printed side uppermost,without contact of the printed parts of said last printed side with anypart ofthe mechanism.

Following is a brief general description of the means used to accomplishthe object above mentioned. A series of stripper or receiving lingersare provided for stripping the sheet head tirst from the top of theimpression-cylinder and receiving its entire length thereon, andthereafter moving the said stripper or receiving fingers horizontally,or practically so, away from the cylinder, said fingers being set ateither a fixed angle or at varying angles to the horizontal sutlioientto permit of the resistance of the air,keeping the sheet in contact withthem until the sheet is allowed to drop clear of said lingers upon theirreturn again to the posit-ion for receiving the succeeding sheet, theresistance of the air on the under side of the sheet preventing itsreturn with said ingers.

In practice with this method ithas been found that at high speeds thesheets have sut'- icient momentum to cause them to continue on in theirdirection of motion when the motion ofthe stripper or receiving fingersis arrested, and with thin paper it has been found iinpracticable toarrest the motion of a sheet by contact with anything like astop againstthe sheets leading edge, any such device causi `g the sheet to double upand preventing its deposition in an even tlat pile. To prev'ent this,two or more stationary pressure-stops are used, adjusted to come incont-act with the unprinted margins or some other unprinted spots on theupper or last printed side ot' the sheet just at the time the stripperor receiving fingers are brought to a stop at the termination of theiroutward stroke, these stops being adjustable, so as to press upon thesheet near to its tail or following end, thus arresting its motion bythat end and allowing the sheet to quietly drop upon the pile by its ownweight merely upon the return of the stripper or receiving fingerstoward the cylinder.

The invention consists of the parts and comv binations of partshereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of thoseparts of a two-revolution-cylinder printingpress necessary to illustratethe invention (shown as delivering the sheet) during its second ornon-printing revolution from its top to and upon the stripper orreceiving fingers. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 isa side elevation of a moditication providing fora change of theinclination of the stripper or receiving fingers during the first partof their movement from the cylinder in those cases where the proportions.of the machine will not permit ofthe stripper-fingers having sufiicientinclination as they lie against the cylinder, when receiving the sheet,to propel the sheet and keep it in contact with the stripper orreceiving lingers during their outward motion. Fig. 4 is an endelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, partly in section.

In said iigures the respective parts of the machine are indicated byletters, as follows:

A A are parts of the main frames. B is the impression-cylinder; B', thetype-bed, B2, the ink-table; B, the forni-rollers, and b thecylinder-grippers; B", the bed-rollers; B5, the bed-roller ways, and Kthe feed-board.

C C are a pair of brackets attached to the frames A A. The upperhorizontal members of these brackets forni guides in which slide twotoothed racks, G'. Secured to the racks C', Figs. l and 2, are twobrackets, c, which carry a cross-bar, c', to which are secured the lowerends of the stripper or receiving fingers E is the receiving-board, andEasheet-stop or series of stops against which the leading edge of eachsheet slightly inipinges as the sheets iioat downward in the inclinedposition in which each sheet is left by the recession of the stripper orreceiving iingers.

IOO

T is a shaftjournaled in the main fiarnesQthese parts ofthe frames beingbroken away in Fig. 1) just in front of the cylinder carrying a seriesof tape-pulleys, T2, and T is a similar shaft journaled in the bracketsC, carrying a similar series of pulleys, T3. Upon these two series ofpulleys run a series ot' tapes, T, the respective positions of saidshafts being such as to bring the upper sides of thetapes slightly abovethe stripper-fingers when in position to receive the sheet from thecylinder. The shaft T and the tapes T'1 are driven by gearing with asuitable gear upon the cylinder` B, (not showii,)so as to drive theni inthe proper direction to convey the sheet downward parallel with thestripper or receiving fingers.

A shaft, d,journaled in the brackets C, has secured to it at one end apinion, d', the pinion al'l on the saine shaft engaging the slidingracks C. On a stud, f, secured in one of the brackets C, freely runs agear-wheel, f', which engages the pinion d. Secured to the gearwheelf isapinion, f2, also running freely on the studf. Oscillating upon a stud,f3, secured in the lower part of one of the brackets C, is a sector-gearlever, ft. Upon a stud, g, securediii the traine A, oscillates a lever,g', carrying upon its lower end a roller, g2. The lower ends of levers gand f* are connected by a rod, g3, pivoted to each lever. The roller g2engagesa suitably-formed groove in a earn, g4. The cani g is carried ona shaft, g5, journaled in the frames A A', to which shaft motion isimparted from any suitably rotating part of the niaehine, (not sliown,)so that said cam may make one revolution for each sheet printed.

Secured in two standards, S, projecting upward from the brackets C, isarod, S. Adjustably secured to this rodi)l are one or more sockets S2.The sockets S2 may be adjusted angularly or laterally upon the rod S.Adj ustably secured to each socket S2 is aslotted rod or strip of metalS3. This rod or strip S3 is so made and attached to its socket S2 thatit may be protruded from the socket any desired amount, so that t-hisadjustment, together with the angular and lateral adjustment of thesocket S2 upon the rod S', will permit of the free end of the rod S3being so placed as to nieet any part of the sheet desired, or a sheet ofany size. The free ends of the rods S may be tipped -with rubber or anysubstance suitable for offering a slight frictional resistance to theupper surface of the sheet. The rods S" are shown in Fig. 1, in oneposition in full lines and in two other positions in dotted lines. InFig. 1 also the stripper or receiving lingers D are shown in dottedlines at the ends ot' their outward motion, illustrating the positionsof the parts when rods S3 iinpinge upon some unprinted spots on theupper side of the sheet, to prevent, by their frictional contact, thefurther progress of the sheet in the direction in which it was moving.The tapesTL are-not essential to this invention; but may be used whenthe angle of the stripper-fingers with the horizontal is so small as toprevent the ruiming of the sheet freely down the stripperlingers.

Referring now to the modication shownin Figs. 3 and 4, the stripper orreceiving 1ingers D are secured to a rock-shaft, l1, instead of to abar, o', (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) said rock-shaft being journaled inthebrackets c,- and on one end of the rock-shaft h is secured a lever, h',carrying a roller, h2. which engages an incline, 71.3, formed upon oneof the brackets C, so that in cases where the inclination of thestripper or receiving lingers D, when first receiving the sheet, is notsufficient, if thereafter moving without change of angle to cause thesheet to adhere to the stripper or receiving fingers by the resistanceof the air, said lingers will, during a short first part of theirmotion, be carried to agreateranglc sufficient to securely hold thesheet in contact with them, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3.

The operation in detail is as follows'. The sheet is received from thetop of the cylinder upon the stripper or receiving fingers D, as shownat L, Fig. 1, the stripper or receiving fingers D remaining at restwhile the roller g2 is passing through a concentric part of the groovein the cam g4 until the sheet has passed entirely down and upon thestripper or receiving fingers D, at which time the cain gt will havearrived in such, a position that its further rotation will carry theroller gZ to the left, Fig. 1; and, through the instrumentality oftherod g, sector-leverf, intermediate inultiplying-gears fj`2, the piniond, the shaft d, the pinioiis d2, and the racks C', the stripperfingerswill be carried to the right without change of angle, as in Fig. 1, orwith altered inclination during the lirst part of their niovenient, andthereafter without further change of angle, as in Figs. 3 and 4, untilthey arrive in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, at theextreme right.' Upon arriving at this position the rods S3 will impingeupon some imprinted spots on the face ol" the sheet, hold- .ing it atrest at the saine time.

the under side of the sheet as the sheet passes between the stripper orreceiving fingers prevents it froni following the said fingers upontheir return motion and allows it to drop gently down upon the pile onthe receiving-board E, being thereon left by the stripper or receivingfingers D upon the commencement of their return motion in the saineinclined position they themselves occupy. The tendency of the sheet,upon being released from the pressure between the ends of the rods SSand the stripper or receiving fingers/D, will be to again have a slightmotion to the right, Fig. 1, sailing down upon the air as upon aninclined plane. To insure an even pile of paper, therefore, thesheet-stops or series of stops E are IOO provided to arrest this smallresidual motion of the sheet through the air, which motion, however, isnever| sufficient to cause buckling in the thinnest paper, while itprovides effectual means of correcting any little variation in positionof the respective sheets as received upon the stripper or receivingfingers and efi'ectually secures an even pile upon the receiving-boardE.

It is obvious that the inclines 7L, Figs. 3 and ii, may be so formed asto be a continuous incline throughout the whole length of thc motion ofthe fingers I), so that the angle ofthe fingers D may be graduallychanging throughout the whole of' their travel until they arrive at thetermination of' their outward movement at the desired angle, and alsothat the incline h may be made adjustable so as to vary the maximumangle through which the fingers may move. It is also obvious that, byaid of the tapes T, the fingers D may primarily occupy a horizontalposition, or may, indeed, beinclined somewhat toward the cylinder whilereceiving the sheet, as may be best suited to meet special cases,depending upon the diametor of impression-cylinder.

I do not confine myself to the mechanism shown for imparting areciprocating motion to the stripper or receiving fingers D, as this 1may be effected in various ways, as best suited to the various forms ofcylinder press; but,

Having thus fully described my said improvements as of my invention, Icla-iml. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, a set ofinclined stripper or receiving fingers, D, in combination with mechanismfor reciprocating said fingers in a horizontal plane, substantially asdescribed, whereby a sheet deposited upon said fingers is held incontact therewith by the resist-ance of the air on the upper s ide ofthe sheet during` the travel of said lingers in one direction, and thesheet released from contact therewith by the resistance of the air uponthe under side of said sheet upon the return travel of said fingers inan opposite direction, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, a set of stripperor receiving fingers, as D, in combination with mechanism forreciprocating said lingers in a horizontal plane, and varying the angleof inclination of said fingers .from the horizontal during theirreciprocation, substantially as described, whereby a sheet depositedupon said fingers is held in contact therewith by the resistance of theair against the upper side of the sheet during the travel of saidfingers in one direction, and said sheetreleased from contact therewithby the resistance of the air upon the under side of' the sheet upon thereturn travel of said fingers in an opposite direction, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

3. In a sheet-delivery, delivering the sheet by means of' a set of'inclined reciprocating stripper or receiving lingers for the receptionof the sheet on their upper side, in combination with said fingers,means for varying the angle of said stripper or receiving fingers,consisting of a rock-shaft, as h, to which the said fingers are secured,an arm, as 717, secured to said rock-shaft, carrying aroller, as h2,said roller engaging a suitable incline, as h3, subst-antiall y as andfor the purposes set forth.

4. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printing presses, in combinationwith a set of inclined reciprocating stripper or receiving fingers, asI), a series of supporting-tapes, as Tt, whereby the sheet is supportedfrom contact with said inclined ngers while passing down or` upon them,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, delivering thesheet by means of a set of inclined reciprocating stripper or receivingfingers, as D, the combination, with said inelined reciprocatinglingers, of a delivery or receiving board, as E, placed under saidinclined reciprocating fingers when in their outward-assumed position,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

(i. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, delivering thesheet by means of a set of inclined reciprocating` stripper or receivingfingers, as D, in combination with said lingers a series of adjustablefrictional sheetstops, as S, whereby the upper surface of the sheet atthe termination of the outward excursion of said inclined fingers isimpinged upon by said stops, the sheets moment-urn overcome and itsmotion arrested simultaneously with the arrival of the said lingers atthe termination of their outward travel, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

7. In a sheet-deliveryfor cylinder printingpresses delivering the sheetby means of a set of inclined reciprocating stripper or receivingfingers,as I),in combination with said fingers, an abutting sheet-stopor series of stops, as E', whereby the residual motion of the sheets isarrested,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a sheet-delivery for a cylinder printing-press delivering thesheet by means of a set of inclined reciprocating stripper or receivingfingers, as D, the combination, with said iingers, of a setof frictionaladjustable sheet-stops, as S, and an abutting sheet-stop or series ofstops, as E, whereby both the forward momentum and residual mot-ion ofthe sheets is arrested, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a sheet--delivery for cylinder printingpresses, in combinationwith an impressioncylinder, as B, delivering the sheet from the top ofsaid cylinder, a series of reciprocating inclined stripper or receivingfingers, as D,for receiving and discharging the sheets from saidcylinder,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

l0. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, in combinationwith an impressioncylinder, as I3, delivering the sheet from its top, aseries of inclined reciprocating stripper IOO IIO

ISO

or receiving iingers, as D, and a set of receiving-tapes, as T, wherebythe sheets are removed froni said cylinder,substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

11. In asheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, in combination withan impressioncylinder, as B, delivering the sheet from its top, a seriesof inclined reciprocating stripper or receiving fingers, as D,a set ofsupportingtapes, as T4, and a series of frietional adjustablesheet-stops, as S3, whereby the sheets are removed from said cylinderand their inomenta arrested,substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

12. In a sheet-delivery for cylinder printingpresses, in combinationwith an impressioncylinder, as I3, delivering the sheet from its top, aseries of inclined reciprocating stripper or receiving fingers, as D, aseries of supporting-tapes,as Tia series of adjustable frietional sheetstops, as S3, and an abutting sheet-stop or series of stops, as E', al1constructed and operating,substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

13. In a sheet-delivery for a cylinder printing-press, in combinationwith an impressioncylinder, as B, delivering the sheet from its top, aseries of inclined reciprocating stripper or receiving ngers, as D, aset of supporting tapes, as T4, a set of adjustable frictionalsheetstops, as S3, and an abutting sheet-stop or series of stops, as E,and a receiving-board, as E, all arranged and operating, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

Y 4JOHN T. HAVKINS.

W'itnesses:

ELisHA T. J AcKsoN, J. F. HALEY.

